Pet International Health Certificates

At Abbott Animal Hospital, we are pleased to offer pet international health certificates at our office.Taking a pet to another country requires advanced planning. We are here to help by researching the requirements of the country to which you are travelling. We provide microchipping, official travel documents, and preparation of samples for rabies titer testing.

An international pet health certificate, also known as a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI), is an official document that certifies your pet is healthy for international travel and meets the specific entry requirements of your destination country. This certificate must be issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and often requires endorsement by the USDA APHIS.

Cute dog chihuahua with european veterinary pet passport

Key Steps to Obtaining an International Health Certificate for Your Pet

Start this process months before your plan to travel. Timing is critical: Failure to meet the precise timeframes for exams, vaccinations, and endorsement can result in your pet being denied entry or quarantined.

1. Contact a USDA-Accredited Veterinarian:

Find an accredited vet who can help you determine the specific requirements for your destination country, including needed vaccinations, tests (like rabies titer tests), or treatments. You can use the USDA accredited veterinarian search tool to find one.

2. Check Destination Country Requirements:

Requirements are set by the destination country and can change frequently. The USDA APHIS website is the primary resource for these regulations.

3. Ensure Requirements are Met on Time:

Your pet must meet all health requirements (vaccinations, microchip, tests, etc.) within the specified timeframes before the certificate can be issued. Some tests have waiting periods of weeks or months.

4. Obtain the Health Certificate:

Your accredited veterinarian will perform a physical exam and issue the health certificate (a country-specific form or APHIS Form 7001) within the strict timeframe required by the destination country and/or airline, often within 10 days of travel.

5. Get USDA APHIS Endorsement:

Most countries require the certificate to be endorsed (counter-signed and stamped/embossed) by a USDA APHIS Veterinary Medical Officer after your vet signs it. Your vet can submit the paperwork electronically via the Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS) or provide it to you to submit by mail.

A rabies titer test (also known as the FAVN or Fluorescent Antibody Viral Neutralization test) is a blood test required by many countries, particularly those that are rabies-free (e.g., Australia, New Zealand, Japan, UK), to measure the level of rabies antibodies in your pet’s bloodstream after vaccination. It confirms that the rabies vaccine was effective and provides sufficient immunity (>0.5 IU/mL) to prevent the spread of the disease.

Key Steps for Rabies Titer Test

Microchip First: Your pet must be microchipped before or on the same day as the rabies vaccination for the test and travel documents to be valid.
Vaccination Timing: The blood sample for the titer test must be drawn at least 30 days after the most recent rabies vaccination.
Approved Laboratories: The test must be conducted by a laboratory approved by the destination country’s authorities. In the U.S., common approved labs include the Kansas State University Rabies Laboratory and the DoD Food Analysis & Diagnostic Laboratory.
Turnaround Time: Plan well in advance, as results can take anywhere from 10 business days to 6-8 weeks, depending on the lab and destination requirements.
Waiting Periods: Many countries impose a mandatory waiting period after a successful test result (commonly 90 to 180 days) before your pet is allowed to enter.
Validity: The test result is typically valid for 1-2 years, or sometimes for the life of the pet, as long as rabies vaccination coverage does not lapse.

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Pet International Health Certificates

Key Steps to Obtaining an International Health Certificate for Your Pet

1. Contact a USDA-Accredited Veterinarian:

2. Check Destination Country Requirements:

3. Ensure Requirements are Met on Time:

4. Obtain the Health Certificate:

5. Get USDA APHIS Endorsement:

Key Steps for Rabies Titer Test

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Pet International Health Certificates

Key Steps to Obtaining an International Health Certificate for Your Pet

1. Contact a USDA-Accredited Veterinarian:

2. Check Destination Country Requirements:

3. Ensure Requirements are Met on Time:

4. Obtain the Health Certificate:

5. Get USDA APHIS Endorsement:

Key Steps for Rabies Titer Test

Contact Info

Office Hours

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